Maternity leave days ten to fourteen

The baby's room is coming together.  I spent literally hours trying to sew a ruffle for the bedroom curtain, after much swearing and two broken needles I finally made it!

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos, I took them on my little camera. 

Basically I had the curtain already and I simply appliquéd some coloured fabric onto it and onto the tabs at the top.  That part was really tricky actually, but I am pretty pleased with the results, although they aren't perfect, but then neither am I.

I also strung up some bunting that I made in co-ordinating fabric, I got the colour way from the Jamboree range at Mamas and Papas:

On Friday I picked up some sample paint pots from B&Q that matched in too.  I have a small wooden trolley/toy box that I am going to paint with them, and maybe some picture frames too.

Hope you have all had a good weekend.  Even though I am not going to work tomorrow, I still have that Sunday evening feeling.  I think it is because Paul is back to work tomorrow, so I will be on my own.

maternity leave: days seven, eight and nine

Oh dear, I am not keeping up with my maternity leave diary!  Well I haven't really had anything exciting to report.  On Sunday I had the ladies from my NCT group over for another afternoon tea.  It was lovely chatting with other pregnant women, all due to give birth around the same time as me.
Baby has been really active the last couple of days, like crazy active, it's still not in the right position though, it's back is on my right hand side and it is much better for its back to be on my left before birth because it makes it easier during labour (apparently).  I have a midwife appointment tomorrow, so it might have moved by then, we will have to wait and see.  I keep feeling its foot in my side and grabbing it and saying "foot" loudly so maybe it will know what its foot is, or will recognise the word "foot" after it's been born.
Today I spent some time writing my birth plan, or as I have called it "Birth preferences" because nothing ever goes to plan. I want to have as natural a birth as possible, but at the end of the day I just want baby to come out and be healthy and for me to be healthy too.  I am sure that is all any expectant mother can hope for.
Any of you write a birth plan?  What did you include?

Maternity leave: Days five and six

Spent yesterday getting the house ready for my "afternoon tea with mummy to be" (NOT a baby shower which is far to cliché and makes people feel obligated to bring gifts), including a food shop which was shockingly expensive.  Can't believe a small trolley now costs what it would have cost to fill a large trolley 5 years ago. Also put together my party games, including a drawing of a giant baby with an anatomically correct umbilical cord and placenta to pin on!  my pregnancy quiz which took me about 2 hours to do...I think I was really over-thinking the questions, printing off sheets for match the celebrity baby names to their celebrity parents, guess the measurement of mummy's tummy with string, preparing for guess the baby food flavour and preparing vegetables and fruit for match the vegetable to the age of the foetus (in weeks).

On second thoughts the placenta looks more like a tomato.

Today I got up early to get everything ready and made two trays of sandwiches for all the guests.  My mum and sisters came over in the morning and helped me with the last few finishing touches to the house as well as finishing off icing some cupcakes that my sisters made. Friends arrived at about 1.30 then all through the afternoon friends popped in and out, we had sandwiches, cake, tea and played the games as well as me opening presents which was so sweet of my friends, and not expected at all.  I was very happy to receive the Mamas and Papas Jamboree changing mat which I have been lusting after.  There was an element of surrealism to the whole thing though, it felt a little bit like my birthday, only nothing was for me!
Foolishly I forgot to take any photos for the entire day,  took some last minute ones of me and my family but apart from that, nothing! What an idiot!

yes, my sister is holding a spider plant, it was the prize she chose for winning one of the games!

Maternity leave: Day four

Thought I would share with you some artwork I have done for the  baby's room today.  Do you remember this post, of images from the Jamboree collection at Mamas and Papas, in particular theses paintings?  Well I loved them so much but just couldn't justify £22 pounds a pop.  So...I decided to imitate them on canvases I bought from Hobby Craft for about £5.00.  Do you like?  I am really pleased with them.

Today I continued the big clear out, nearly there now, made some soup for freezing so that when baby comes we have some easy nutritious meals at the ready and added a few more things to my hospital bags.

What are you up to?

Maternity leave: Day three

More clearing out today, making room for baby.  This weekend I am having a couple of gatherings of friends to celebrate coming to the end of my pregnancy, some may call it a baby shower, but I am calling it "Afternoon tea with Mummy to be"!!  So I have been trying to think of games to play that are fun and silly but not too embarrassing, so far there are my ideas:

Guess the size of mummy's tummy with a piece of string, closest size wins,
Blindfolded baby food guessing game,
Pin the umbilical cord on the baby (like pin the tale on the donkey),
Childbirth Trivia quiz,
Celebrity baby name guessing game or match the name to the celebrity baby,
Blindfolded guess the baby item.

Anyone got any other ideas?

here is a pic of me, Baby turned 37weeks yesterday:

Maternity leave: Day two

The big sort out continues; today I sorted through all our old receipts, some dating as far back as 2005.  I can't help but think "why on earth did I keep this receipt for a white t shirt from tescos that I bought in 2006 for £3.00"?  Hubby sorted through a massive pile of paper including lots of bank statements, credit card bills and the like.  Both of us are terrible at organising our paper work. We both always wish we were better at being organised with our things, not hoarding, keeping things in order, the right place for the right thing, but we are fighting a losing battle against our genes.  Both sets of parents are terrible hoarders and organisers, it is quite literally in our DNA to be chaotic with our things.  We are also finding it very difficult to get rid of stuff, if we are not asking ourselves "will I need it in the future for some obscure reason"  I am thinking "but I could make it into something".  But those days must end because we have a baby coming and it needs room!  So not only have I now an extensive list of books for sale on Amazon, but also a pile of shoes, bags and clothes waiting to go to charity shops.  It is quite cathartic in a way, but also frightening.

In other news I went into town today to buy some nursing bras, I am now a shocking size 34 J!!  Which is the largest size I can get, so I am really hoping they are not going to get any bigger when the milk comes. I am finding some of the physical changes of pregnancy quite distressing and am beginning to wonder if I will every feel good about my body again.

Also bought some washable nappies from Boots.  We are planning on getting more second hand but are feeling the urge to make sure we have everything ready for baby sooner rather than later, so a pack with 3 wraps and 12 liners should keep us going for a while if baby decides to come a little earlier than expected.

Last night I ordered a Tens machine for hire to help with discomfort during labour not sure if it will do any good but I figure anything is worth a try.

Maternity leave: Day one

On Friday I had my last day at school for some time.  It was possibly the most incredible anti-climax of my life.  I thought it would feel so wonderful and such a relief, but of course to everyone else at school it was just another normal day so there was very little in the way of celebration. It is a strange feeling really; to be off work for something other than a half term or holiday, the true reason for not being at work hasn't really sunk in yet.  

So how has the first day been?  Well pretty good really, I got up late and came downstairs to find a silly surprise left by my husband:

The cuddly lion we bought for baby all snuggled up in our new moses basket!

I spent the day tidying and sorting, trying to get the baby's room ready and doing general housework, everything takes a v.e.r.y long time because I am so slow!  

When my hubby got home, he had another surprise for me:

Oooh yes! A box of doughnuts!  

Review of 2011

Last year I made some new years resolutions, so though I would now take the opportunity to see which ones I achieved, which ones I nearly achieved and which ones I didn't achieve (and why)  So these were my resolutions for 2011:

1. Read the Bible in a year - I have very nearly done this, I am about two months behind and am proud of that alone, I have never got this far through the Bible before.  I have found the process of reading it very useful, though I have to confess often I am just reading the words and I feel they are not really sinking in, however the odd verse jumps out at me and speaks to me on a really personal level.  My aim now is to read the rest before the baby arrives!

courtesy of weheartit

2. Buy nothing new for a year - Although I did of course buy new things this year, I think I was much more thoughtful when making purchases, I did consider if I could make things or get them second hand and have come to the conclusion that if there is something out there that I really really want (but can't afford), then I can get it one way or another, either I buy something similar second hand or make it myself.

Vintage map bunting for sale in the craft shop

3. Exercise at least 3 time a week - for a long time I was cycling to work every day, but since I fell pregnant I have been too frightened to cycle in case I fall off or hurt myself on the handle bars, so I have stuck with walking; walking to the shops when I can and going for long woodland walks at weekends.

Me on one of our many woodland walks,

4. Eat more healthily - I started the year eating very healthily but in the spring I started medication for Poly-cystic ovarian syndrome which made me feel very sick, then I fell pregnant and felt even more sick to the point where vegetables made me gag (I can't think why my body didn't want me to eat veg but I couldn't) however I did keep eating lots of fruit so don't feel too bad about not being super healthy.

Courtesy of weheartit.com

5. Finish my wedding scrapbook - hmmm still not finished, or even close!

Unfinished wedding scrapbook,

6. Grow more veg - I struggled with this because I had a very difficult start to my pregnancy and as a result wasn't able to work the allotment...AND I got an eviction letter :(  On the bright side I am now sharing the allotment with a friend so hopefully it will be more manageable in 2012, I can't wait to spend time there with my child, showing him or her the wonders of nature,

Courtesy of weheartit.com

7. Make £400 per month of crafts, photography etc - Didn't manage £400 per month, but I was pleased with what I achieved in 2011 in terms of independent money making.  I am going to carry on with my Etsy craft shop, although I have closed the art shop because it wasn't as successful as I had hoped.  I am on maternity leave from photography now, but will start again in late March/April.  Having said that I am definitely happier with the craft side of things than the photography, and am going to work on this more in 2012,

32 sales yippy!

8. Pay off overdraft -  I did this!!  Purely on saving and spending less, so very pleased with myself,

Courtesy of weheartit.com

9. Watch less TV - I did this and re-read "Remotely controlled" to motivate me further, I am going to continue watching less TV and hope that when our baby comes I will be far to busy!  Really don't want to look back on my life and have wasted 12 years watching TV (The average amount British people watch TV in their lifetime!)

Courtesy of weheartit.com

10.  Have 100 followers on the blog - I have 106 lovely lovely followers, I have love for you all, I love your comments, thankyou thankyou for following my blog.

My fabulous followers!

As for 2012, I am not making New Years resolutions but I do have many hopes for my life with my husband and our new baby which I am sure I will share with you as time goes by.  I am really looking forward to 2012.

(Photos are mine unless linked to weheartit.com)